MYSURU: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy has recently urged the Karnataka government to restart Tamil schools in the state. Now, Kannadigas across the border in Erode and Krishnagiri want the Tamil Nadu government to retain Kannada as a medium of instruction and as the first language.Kannadigas are unhappy as there has been no recruitment for the vacant posts in at least 35 Kannada schools. They want the Karnataka government to increase reservation and facilities for the welfare and development of border area Kannadigas.
Talawadi taluk in Erode district with more than 80 per cent Kannada population has about 28 schools including primary and highschool and also two pre-university colleges. But the Tamil Nadu government proposed to introduce Tamil as the first language in Kannada schools. This was challenged in the court, which ruled that Kannada will be the first language in Kannada schools till 2022.
Kannadigas across the border want Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to take up the issue with his Tamil Nadu counterpart to retain Kannada medium schools with Kannada as their first language in future.
Channananjappa, a Kannada activist, said that the government should respect people’s sentiments instead of forcing Tamil as the first language in Kannada schools. He said that Tamil medium teachers are posted in Kannada medium highschools and PU colleges, which will compel the students to opt for Tamil medium in Kannada schools.
Shivakumar of Talawadi said that the Tamil Nadu government should fill up the vacancies in Kannada medium schools. He observed that the mushrooming of private schools and lack of support from the Tamil Nadu government has resulted in a fall in admissions to schools in Chikkhalli. While there are no sufficient Kannada teachers in highschools, the student strength in Kannada schools is good, he said.
Many parents in recent times have been sending their children to Karnataka for higher studies and with hopes of better job opportunities.
Though Kannada Development Authority chairman Mukhyamantri Chandru visited Talawadi and held folklore programmes and instilled confidence in the Kannadigas by announcing scholarships, nothing much has changed on the ground.Kannada Chaluvali leader Vatal Nagraj said that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister should look into the condition of the Kannada schools in his own state before urging Karnataka to restart Tamil schools.